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Page 525
and began to choke the life out of him while beating his head against anything solid he could reach.
Llewelyn leapt upon Ian, struggling to tear him loose before he killed his half-stunned victim, and began bellowing for help. Half a dozen men rushed in. It took all their combined efforts to pull Ian off and restrain him.
''Where is my wife?" he screamed, when he at last realized he could not free himself.
The expression on Gwenwynwyn's face convinced Llewelyn that the man knew nothing of Alinor's whereabouts. "Ian," Llewelyn cried, interposing his body between Ian and Gwenwynwyn and taking his clan brother's face in his hands, so that he could force him to meet his eyes. "Ian, she is a woman. Doubtless she was affrighted by the battle and fled toward Clifford. Calm yourself. Calm yourself. I will send men after her. She will soon"
"I do not believe it. Alinor fled affrighted? She would be more like to join a battle than flee it."
"What would I want with your wife?" Gwenwynwyn growled. "I do not prey upon women. The king wanted you dead, and I was very willing to accommodate him. You are not beloved, de Vipont. The king was willing to pay high for youa captain and four hundred mercenaries for an indefinite term of service."
It was on these words that Salisbury hurried into the tent. He stopped in the entrance, doubly appalled by what he heard and what he saw. It seemed he had led Alinor's men into a trap and Ian was a prisonerand John had lied to him again.
"I doubt you will have use of them," Ian replied, and then, irritably, "Tell your men to let me be, Llewelyn. I will not fly at him again."
Llewelyn's nod came on the words, and the men-at-arms released Ian. Another gesture sent them from the tent, Salisbury stepping aside to clear the entrance. He would have spoken then, but Ian had continued bitter-

 
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